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A 4-year-old boy from New Fairview who was horribly injured after being run over by a riding lawn mower in a tragic accident last Friday has lost his leg.

His father, Jason Carter, confirmed that the boy’s left leg had to be amputated the same day he was admitted to Cook Children’s Hospital in Fort Worth. It was a 12-hour procedure. He’s also had to go through multiple surgeries, but he has been moved out of intensive care.

Shriners Hospital has said they will help provide the boy with a prosthetic leg.

The boy had been riding on the mower with his grandfather, Louis W. Carter, 57. It was just one of the many things they’ve done together for years. The boy hopped down. At that point it’s unclear what happened. They’re not sure if the boy stopped to pick something up or look at something, but when the grandfather spun around a moment later in the zero-turn mower his grandson was right there behind him. He couldn’t see him, and the boy was pulled underneath the mower and into the spinning blades.

The grandfather called 911 and attempted to heave the mower off the child. He injured his back severely in the process.

After blowing out his back, the grandfather then crawled to the neighbor’s door for help.

“My dad crawled all the way around the house on his belly and started banging on the front door of the neighbor he was mowing grass for to get help,” Carter said. “If it wasn’t for my dad, he would not be alive.”

It was actually a blessing he was not able to lift the mower.

“An artery in the leg was completely severed,” Carter said. “If dad had gotten the mower off of him he would of bled to death before the ambulance got there.”

It took three emergency responders to lift the mower off the trapped and bleeding boy.

Efforts by the boy’s grandfather and first responders, including paramedics and firefighters, are the only reason his son survived, Carter said.

His son has shown tremendous strength throughout the ordeal, and he’s thankful for everyone’s prayers. He added that the boy’s grandfather, his father, also needs prayers as he is overcome with grief over the accident.

Carter said his father and his son have always been inseparable.

“Since he was six months old there hasn’t been a day go by they haven’t spent together,” Carter said. “They get up at 7 a.m. and eat breakfast, and then they go running all day. They like to fish a lot. My dad’s life revolves around my son.

“From when I go to work until I get home he’s with my dad. He’s his best friend. My dad and my son are best friends. I couldn’t of dreamed of my dad and my son having such a great relationship.”

2 Responses to “Boy loses leg from lawn mower accident”

It speaks to a person’s Character as to how they speak of their parents. It is wonderful how this man speaks of his father, and the love his father has for his son and grandson. I know that this family is going to have a tough row to hoe, but they will be fine. That’s Character. Please let us, as a community, know if we can do anything to help. Bless you.